Australia's population grows by 2.5%

Australia's population grew by 2.5 per cent to 26.8 million people, in the year to 30 September 2023, an annual increase of 659,800 people according to the latest figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

Beidar Cho, ABS head of demography, said: "Net overseas migration drove 83 per cent of the annual population growth, while natural increase accounted for the remaining 17 per cent”.

“Net overseas migration grew by 60 per cent compared with the previous year, driven by an increase in overseas migration arrivals (up 34 per cent), predominantly on a temporary visa for work or study.”

With 765,900 overseas migration arrivals and 217,100 departures, net overseas migration was 548,800 people during the year ending 30 September 2023.

Over this 12-month period, there were 295,000 births and 183,900 deaths registered in Australia. This makes the natural increase 111,000 people, 3.9 per cent less than the previous year.

“Western Australia had the fastest growing population, up 3.3 per cent compared with the previous year. This was followed by Victoria, which grew by 2.9 per cent, and Queensland which grew by 2.7 per cent,” Ms Cho said.

Tasmania saw the least growth, at 0.3 per cent over the same period.